(ד) שְׁמַ֖ע יִשְׂרָאֵ֑ל יי אֱלֹהֵ֖ינוּ יי ׀ אֶחָֽד׃ (ה) וְאָ֣הַבְתָּ֔ אֵ֖ת יי אֱלֹהֶ֑יךָ בְּכָל־לְבָבְךָ֥ וּבְכָל־נַפְשְׁךָ֖ וּבְכָל־מְאֹדֶֽךָ׃ (ו) וְהָי֞וּ הַדְּבָרִ֣ים הָאֵ֗לֶּה אֲשֶׁ֨ר אָנֹכִ֧י מְצַוְּךָ֛ הַיּ֖וֹם עַל־לְבָבֶֽךָ׃ (ז) וְשִׁנַּנְתָּ֣ם לְבָנֶ֔יךָ וְדִבַּרְתָּ֖ בָּ֑ם בְּשִׁבְתְּךָ֤ בְּבֵיתֶ֙ךָ֙ וּבְלֶכְתְּךָ֣ בַדֶּ֔רֶךְ וּֽבְשָׁכְבְּךָ֖ וּבְקוּמֶֽךָ׃ (ח) וּקְשַׁרְתָּ֥ם לְא֖וֹת עַל־יָדֶ֑ךָ וְהָי֥וּ לְטֹטָפֹ֖ת בֵּ֥ין עֵינֶֽיךָ׃ (ט) וּכְתַבְתָּ֛ם עַל־מְזוּזֹ֥ת בֵּיתֶ֖ךָ וּבִשְׁעָרֶֽיךָ׃
(4) HEAR, O ISRAEL YHVH IS OUR GOD, YHVH IS ONE. (5) And thou shalt love the LORD thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy might. (6) And these words, which I command thee this day, shall be upon thy heart; (7) and thou shalt teach them diligently unto thy children, and shalt talk of them when thou sittest in thy house, and when thou walkest by the way, and when thou liest down, and when thou risest up. (8) And thou shalt bind them for a sign upon thy hand, and they shall be for frontlets between thine eyes. (9) And thou shalt write them upon the door-posts of thy house, and upon thy gates.
Questions for Discussion:
- What are you instructed to teach diligently to your children?
- What would you say you try to "teach diligently" to your children?
- A more literal translation of that verse would say, "teach through oral repetition to your children." Does that change the meaning for you?
(ו) חֲנֹ֣ךְ לַ֭נַּעַר עַל־פִּ֣י דַרְכּ֑וֹ גַּ֥ם כִּֽי־יַ֝זְקִ֗ין לֹֽא־יָס֥וּר מִמֶּֽנָּה׃
(6) Train up a child in the way s/he should go, And even when s/he is old, s/he will not depart from it.
Questions for Discussion:
- According to Proverbs, what is your task as a parent?
האב חייב בבנו למולו ולפדותו וללמדו תורה ולהשיאו אשה וללמדו אומנות וי"א אף להשיטו במים רבי יהודה אומר כל שאינו מלמד את בנו אומנות מלמדו ליסטות
A [parent] is obligated to do the following for [their child]: to circumcise him, to redeem him if he is a first born, to teach him/her Torah, to find him/her a partner, and to teach him/her a trade. Others say: teaching him/her how to swim as well. Rabbi Yehuda says, One who does not teach [their child] a trade, it is as if s/he taught him/her thievery.
Questions for Discussion:
- According to the Talmud, what 6 things are you responsible for as a parent?
- What would you expect to find on this list? What is missing from this list?
- Why "teach to swim"?
- What 6 things do you feel obligated to do for your children?